| Perspective | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 21, 1984 | |||
| Recorded | 1984 | |||
| Genre | Soft rock | |||
| Length | 38:38 | |||
| Label | Capitol | |||
| Producer | Matthew McCauley, Richie Zito, Richard James Burgess | |||
| America chronology | ||||
| ||||
Perspective is the twelfth studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records on September 21, 1984.
After several years of failed albums and singles, America returned to the top ten in 1982 with their Russ Ballard-penned single, "You Can Do Magic". In an effort to recreate this success, America had Ballard produce their 1983 album, Your Move . The results of that collaboration, however, were not altogether successful on an artistic or a commercial level. On America's next album, Perspective, the group went in a radically different direction.
The album, featuring three different producers — Matthew McCauley, Richie Zito and Richard James Burgess — and a multitude of prominent session musicians, represented America's foray into the synthesizer-laden music popular in the mid-1980s, including the use of DMX Drums. Band members Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell were credited as executive producers on the project. It reached #185 on the Billboard pop album charts in November 1984, and was the last America album to make the charts at all until The Complete Greatest Hits did so in 2001. It was America's last studio album for Capitol Records, the last full-length studio album from the group until Hourglass was released in 1994, and the group's last major-label studio album until Here & Now in 2007.
Perspective contains two minor hit singles, "Special Girl" and "Can't Fall Asleep to a Lullabye". "Special Girl", with lead vocals by Beckley, reached number 106 on Billboard's Bubbling Under and number 15 on its adult contemporary charts in October 1984. "Can't Fall Asleep to a Lullaby" (misspelled as "Lullabye" on the album cover) features lead vocals by Bunnell and backing vocals by Steve Perry of Journey. It reached number 26 on the Billboard adult contemporary charts in January 1985. Perry returned the favor by featuring Bunnell in a brief cameo appearance in the video for his 1984 hit single, "Oh Sherrie".
The album also features "Stereo", a collaboration between Beckley and songwriter Jimmy Webb, and the reggae-influenced "Lady with a Bluebird", co-written by Bunnell, Bill Mumy and Robert Haimer. Mumy and Haimer (known for their novelty recording act, Barnes & Barnes) also shared writing credits on "(Can't Fall Asleep to A) Lullaby" with Bunnell and Perry. Timothy B. Schmit (of Poco and the Eagles) provided backing vocals on "Cinderella".
Perspective was recorded, engineered and mixed in a number of locations around Los Angeles, including at Amigo Studios in North Hollywood, Oasis Recording Studio in Universal City, United Western Studios in Hollywood and Larrabee Sound in West Hollywood.
The front cover of the album shows Beckley and Bunnel standing in front of 100 Wilshire, located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, California. Completed in 1971, it is the tallest building in Santa Monica.
A longer version of "Can't Fall Asleep To A Lullaby" was included on Encore: More Greatest Hits , released in 1991. Originally released only on vinyl and cassette, Perspective was first issued in the CD format in the United States by the now-defunct One Way Records in 1998.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [2] |
AllMusic concluded that the album's "slight" songs and over-reliance on synthesizers make it no more than an "endearingly mediocre" period piece. However, they did give a nod to "the natural harmonies of Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell" and contended that the album is at least a significant improvement over its predecessor, Your Move . [1]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "We Got All Night" | Sue Shifren, Terry Britten | 3:27 |
| 2. | "See How the Love Goes" | Shifren, Britten | 3:17 |
| 3. | "(Can't Fall Asleep to A) Lullaby" (also typeset as "Can't Fall Asleep to a Lullabye") | Dewey Bunnell, Steve Perry, Bill Mumy, Robert Haimer | 3:46 |
| 4. | "Special Girl" | Eddie Schwartz, David Tyson | 3:47 |
| 5. | "5th Avenue" | Gerry Beckley | 3:47 |
| 6. | "(It's Like You) Never Left at All" | Randy Goodrum | 3:25 |
| 7. | "Stereo" | Beckley, Jimmy Webb | 3:21 |
| 8. | "Lady with a Bluebird" | Bunnell, Mumy, Haimer | 3:07 |
| 9. | "Cinderella" | Jennifer Kimball, David Vidal | 3:57 |
| 10. | "Unconditional Love" | Beckley | 3:08 |
| 11. | "Fallin' Off the World" | Bunnell, Mumy | 3:30 |
America
with:
Studios
America are a British-American rock band formed in London in 1970 by US artists Dewey Bunnell, Dan Peek, and Gerry Beckley. The trio met as sons of US Air Force personnel stationed in London, where they began performing live. Achieving significant popularity in the 1970s, the trio was famous for its close vocal harmonies and light acoustic folk rock sound. The band released a string of hit albums and singles, many of which found airplay on pop/soft rock stations.
Contact is the eleventh studio album by the American vocal group The Pointer Sisters, released in 1985 by RCA Records.
Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive is the seventh and final studio album by the pop rock duo England Dan & John Ford Coley. The single "Love Is the Answer" was an American hit, reaching number ten on the Billboard Hot 100. Two other songs on the album later became country and pop hits for other artists: "Broken Hearted Me" was a success for Anne Murray in 1979, and Michael Martin Murphey scored a hit with "What's Forever For" in 1982. The duo supported the album with a North American tour.
He Is the Light is an album by Al Green, released in 1985. It was Green's first album for A&M Records.
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Hideaway is the sixth studio album by American folk rock trio America, released by Warner Bros. Records in April 1976. The album was produced by longtime Beatles producer George Martin, the fourth of seven consecutive albums he produced with America.
Harbor is the seventh studio album by American folk rock trio America, released by Warner Bros. Records in February 1977. It was the last to feature Dan Peek, who embarked on a solo Christian career shortly after the album's release. The album was produced by longtime Beatles producer George Martin, the fifth of seven consecutive albums he produced with America.
Alibi is the ninth studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records in 1980.
Your Move is the eleventh studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records on June 3, 1983.
Encore: More Greatest Hits is the second major label compilation album by American folk rock duo America, released by Rhino Records on June 24, 1991.
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High Adventure is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, released in September 1982. It is best known for its top 40 pop singles "Heart to Heart", "Heartlight" and "Don't Fight It"; the latter was co-written by Journey frontman Steve Perry, who also performs on the track. Neil Giraldo, Pat Benatar's husband and guitarist is featured. "Don't Fight It" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal.
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Stones is the debut solo studio album by American singer-songwriter Dan Seals. It was released by Atlantic Records in June 1980. The album was Seals' first solo album after he parted ways from the duo England Dan & John Ford Coley to pursue a career in country music, but unlike his later recordings, this is a pop rock and soft rock album which focuses mainly on the artist's instrumental talents. It is his only album using the 'England Dan' moniker.
Givin' It Up is a collaborative album by American musicians George Benson and Al Jarreau, released on October 24, 2006, by Concord Records. It contains songs previously recorded by both artists and original music. Other vocalists and musicians featured are Jill Scott, Patti Austin, Herbie Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Abe Laboriel, Chris Botti, Marcus Miller, and Paul McCartney. This project also includes standards by Billie Holiday and Sam Cooke, pop songs by Seals and Crofts and Daryl Hall along with the jazz-swing "Four" by Miles Davis, and "Ordinary People" by John Legend.
Everlasting is the eleventh studio album by American singer Natalie Cole, released on June 14, 1987 by Manhattan Records. The album peak to number 8 on Billboards Top R&B Albums chart, and number 42 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Back Pages is the 17th studio album by America, released on July 26, 2011 by eOne. The album is the band's first studio album of cover versions of songs by some of their favorite songwriters. The album features guest appearances by Mark Knopfler and Van Dyke Parks.
Lost & Found is the 18th studio album by America. Released May 5, 2015 by America Records, it is their first album of original material since Here & Now in 2007. It includes music recorded between 2000 and 2011 but not released on previous albums. The song "Driving", an upbeat single, received some airplay and was highly regarded by many.
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Mr. Nice Guy is the seventh studio album by American saxophonist Ronnie Laws, released in 1983 by Capitol Records. The album reached No. 19 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Albums chart and No. 24 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.
